Don't Judge Others, Part 2 or Take the Log Out

Romans 2:

1 Therefore thou art inexcusable, O man, whosoever thou art that judgest: for wherein thou judgest another, thou condemnest thyself; for thou that judgest doest the same things.(KJV)

Matt 7:3-5

3 "And why do you look at the speck that is in your brother's eye, but do not notice the log that is in your own eye?

4 "Or how can you say to your brother, 'Let me take the speck out of your eye,' and behold, the log is in your own eye?

5 "You hypocrite, first take the log out of your own eye, and then you will see clearly to take the speck out of your brother's eye.(NAS)

Here we have another reason for not judging others. Usually we have a log in our own eyes that needs removing.

Let’s look at Matt 7:3. Notice Jesus says "why look at the speck in your brother’s eye". Notice He says the brother or other person has just a little fault, and then He reveals to us that the log or big fault is in us. How come we don’t see the big huge fault in us? He is asking this rhetorically because He is trying to get people to think. He already knows the answer but wants us to see it ourselves. Then Jesus says in verse 4-"Or how can you say to your brother, 'Let me take the speck out of your eye,' and behold, the log is in your own eye? Jesus says, ‘Look, the log is in your eye. And you are trying to take that little speck out of your brother’s eye? Your fault is so much bigger, and you are trying to correct the little fault your brother has? Then Jesus says, "You hypocrite, first take the log out of your own eye, and then you will see clearly to take the speck out of your brother's eye." Jesus says those who have the log in their own eyes-the big huge fault-become hypocrites when they decide they should take care of the other person’s little fault. Then He gives us the common sense advice-clean your heart out from all your faults, specially that big one, then you are qualified to try to help the next person.

How come people tend to try to help the next person with instruction and advice when they haven’t learned to clean up their own act? Human nature is the reason. What was true of people in Jesus’ time was true since Adam and Eve and continues true down to this day. So Jesus is saying -get your act together through true repentance before you try to minister.

This makes me think of something else we see in scripture. Look at some of the following scriptures.

Jesus says about His Father and Him--

John 8:28

28 Then said Jesus unto them, When ye have lifted up the Son of man, then shall ye know that I am he, and that I do nothing of myself; but as my Father hath taught me, I speak these things.(KJV)

What did He say His Father did? That’s right. He taught Him. And if you notice, Jesus’ own will was submitted to obedience to the Father’s in all things.

Now notice the next verse:

Matt 5:19b

19 .................but whosoever shall DO and TEACH them, the same shall be called great in the kingdom of heaven.(KJV)

Luke 24:19

19 And he said unto them, What things? And they said unto him, Concerning Jesus of Nazareth, which was a prophet mighty in DEED and WORD before God and all the people:(KJV)

Acts 1:1

1 The former treatise have I made, O Theophilus, of all that Jesus began both TO DO and TEACH, (KJV)

Notice in all three of these verses action came before teaching. In Matthew you have Jesus saying that the person who "does" and "teaches" God’s Word shall be called great. But which word is listed first? "Does" is listed first.

Take a look now at the verse in Luke. Jesus was a mighty prophet in "deed" and "word" before God, and notice "deed" is written first, then the word "word" referring to His preaching comes second.

Now look at the words of Luke in Acts 1. "Of all that Jesus began both "to do" and "teach". Again, action before speaking.

So when Jesus taught, first He learned of the Father what He was to do, put it into practice, then He taught the people. Well, if you want to be someone who can help your brother with the speck in his own eye, you need to first learn to do what God wants and be sure you are cleared of the fault, the log in your eye. That is your doing part here. Then you can teach the other person what they need to learn. Then you are qualified to correct or help the other person.

By the way the "do, then teach" principle applies to more than just the subject of judging. It applies to even being a teacher of something. And you yourself know that only those people who have gone through what you have and conquered are the ones capable of fully helping you. Which is why Jesus is so qualified–

Phil 2:7-8

7 But made himself of no reputation, and took upon him the form of a servant, and was made in the likeness of men:

8 And being found in fashion as a man, he humbled himself, and became obedient unto death, even the death of the cross.(KJV)

He took on a human body and nature, but remained sinless

1 Pet 2:22

22 Who did no sin, neither was guile found in his mouth:(KJV)

but in His human form, He experienced all the temptations we do and He conquered, He avoided sinning.

Now getting back to Romans 2:1, you can see Paul is talking to people who have been trying to take the speck out of their neighbor’s eye, but leaving the log in their own. Again, the "Judge not lest ye be judged" principle really applies. And reread verse 3 here:

Rom 2:3

3 And thinkest thou this, O man, that judgest them which do such things, and doest the same, that thou shalt escape the judgment of God?(KJV)

God is not going to allow people who insist on being the hypocrite that Jesus described to escape His judgment, so we must be careful. And this is instruction to the people of God, not the unbelievers. Paul was writing to believers here.

And once you have gotten that log out, that big fault taken care of through repentance, then you will find yourself not even willing to judge the next person, even when you can see their faults. For you know just how easily you have been guilty of the same thing.

Next week I will get into the aspect of how judging involves punishment. -and I don’t mean’s God’s punishment here either.   Meanwhile, have a blessed weekend.  The Good News Lady